A senior Russian official says Moscow is preparing to counter any possible US missile raids launched on its soil from outer space.

"They [the Americans] truly see space as a potential sphere for armed conflict and in connection with this [they] are not withdrawing from plans to place weapons in space," Nikolai Solovtsov, the commander of Russia's missile forces, was quoted as saying by AFP.

Russia is working on "missiles whose flight falls outside the range of space-based missile defense systems," Solovtsov said adding that Russia had decided to equip its missile bases with the requisite ballistic features.

This is while in February, the outgoing US President George W. Bush, had instructed the Navy to gun down an 'out-of-control' satellite amid reports that the orbiter harbored nuclear material.

Russia and China interpreted the move to be aimed at testing 'anti-missile defense system's capability to destroy orbiting satellites'. The two states took a step further and proposed a new treaty banning the use of weapons in space, but the idea was rejected by the White House.

The Kremlin and the White House have been at odds over a number of issues, including Washington's plans to deploy 10 missile interceptors in Poland and a radar system in the Czech Republic.

Moscow views the missile shield as a threat against its sovereignty, while Washington claims the shield is a precautionary measure against what it calls 'rogue states'.

Early on Monday, ITAR-TASS news agency quoted Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov as saying the country was to test its trademark Bulava missiles before the end of the year.

Moscow claims its missile forces can respond to possible US attacks within minutes. "We are also prepared for the worst case scenario in a nuclear conflict," added Solostov quoted by the Interfax news agency.

Russia has moved towards increasing its missile potentials alarmed at what it perceives to be uncalled-for undertakings by the US in its neighborhood.

The concerns have prompted Russia to plan 13 ballistic missile test-launches for the next year, among them is the cutting-edge RS-24 intercontinental ballistic missiles fitted with warheads capable of hitting various targets simultaneously.

Solostov assured that any surprise US assault was certain to meet with a Russian retaliation refuting the idea of 'uncontested first strike' on the Russian soil.

HN/SME/MMN